Years in the market
Company History
From a specialized plastics systems company in 1994 to an independent full-service provider for robotics, gripper technology and IML — with a site that has grown continuously alongside it.
Founded
1994
Automation projects
250+
ISO certified
since 2012
Our story in brief
Since 1994 we have automated manufacturing processes for plastics and hybrid components. What began as a specialized operation for system suppliers has, step by step, become an independent full-service provider with in-house engineering, manufacturing and commissioning under one roof.
Independently developed solutions for robotics, gripper technology and IML
Groß-Umstadt site with a deeper, grown manufacturing capability
Quality assurance with ISO standards and stable processes
Long-term partnerships in plastics, automotive and MedTech
Milestones that shaped us
Every expansion stage was a response to customer requirements — not to trends.
Special-purpose systems built
In-house developed modules
Our course remains the same: build technology that makes production smarter and runs for the long term.
People behind the story
The most important chapters can be summarized in four stages:
1994–2004: Founded by Jörg Schlünkes, focus on injection molding and system suppliers, short decision paths.
2005–2014: Expanded manufacturing depth, new Groß-Umstadt site, in-house assembly and control cabinet areas.
2015–2019: ISO-certified processes, robotics and IML projects, first holistic automation lines.
From 2020: Transition to Ulrik Schlünkes and Andreas Nees, digitization, series projects and a scalable organization.
AfiPro has grown because people took responsibility — from the first gripper to today’s complete system.
Management
Jörg Schlünkes founded the company in 1994 with the conviction that robust engineering and clean commissioning are more important than show effects. His signature — pragmatic and technically deep — is still tangible.
Ulrik Schlünkes has led the company since 2020. He extends the founder’s mindset with data-driven decisions, structured scaling and a clear understanding of how automation becomes part of a plant’s strategy.
Andreas Nees, with the company since 2016, connects design, project management and customer communication. As authorized officer, he ensures that proposals, delivery and service work seamlessly together.
Engineering & Operations
In the development team, colleagues such as Dirk Bickelhaupt, Witalie Siemens and Igor Korikov stand for service, design and PLC/robotics. They keep systems running reliably, develop new modules and carry every modernization safely across the finish line.